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October 5, 2008

Low & Slow... The Braise

When you find yourself at home on a cool, crisp fall day what better way to prepare dinner than to let it cook slowly all day. The scent of the flavors coming together while you relax with your family will have your mouth watering throughout the afternoon. Some people will pull out the crockpot or slow cooker, but I've become a fan of braising. You see, I was lucky enough to receive a Le Crueset French oven for my birthday last summer and had to wait ever-so-patiently for the weather to cool down so that I could begin experimenting with braising.

My interest in braising started last winter. I picked up a couple of cookbooks from the library to gather an understanding of what exactly this technique was and what types of dishes can be prepared in this way. What I found out was that many of the recipes were reminiscent of the comfort foods so many people grew up with, such as stew or chicken and dumplings.

To break in my beautiful new red pot, I decided that Braised Short Ribswould be a nice way to start. The recipe called for browning the meat, then removing it while the other ingredients were added to cook for a bit and come up to a boil. Then the meat was added back in so that the slow blending of flavors could begin and continue for the next hour. The scent of this dish was truly mouth-watering. The wine I used was a merlot and it married to the other flavors beautifully.

This is a perfect recipe to share with the Low and Slow blogging eventover at The Constables' Larder. So, be sure to head over to visit after the submission deadline (October 15) to see what other fantastic slow cooked meals might make your mouth water.

The dish was considered delicious by My Youngest and myself... while My Husband and My Oldest were less impressed by it. You can't please everyone, but if I can please at least half of the people at my dinner table, I'm happy.

Directions
Pat short ribs dry and season with salt and pepper. In a large pot or dutch oven (at least 6 quarts) heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and brown ribs in batches, transferring with tongs to a large bowl.

Add pearl onions, stirring and pushing down to make sure they are covered by liquid, and simmer, covered, 1 hour, or until meat is tender. Transfer meat and pearl onions with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. Boil braising liquid, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and reduced to about 4 cups.

Return meat and onions to pot and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through.